1. Field of the Invention
A method utilized in a wireless communication and apparatus thereof is disclosed, and more particularly to a method of handling data transmission associated with natural disaster notification in a wireless communication system and related apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System (ETWS), set forth by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), introduces a means to deliver Warning Notification simultaneously to many mobile users who should evacuate from approaching Earthquake or Tsunami. The ETWS consists of a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) that is capable to deliver Warning Notification and user equipments (UEs) that are capable to receive a warning notification. The PLMN of the ETWS can be a GERAN (GSM/EDEG radio access network) of a 2G/2.5G GSM system, a UTRAN (UMTS radio access network) of a 3G UMTS system, or a EUTRAN (evolved-UTAN) of a long term evolution (LTE) system, and each UE in all of the systems can only use a single component carrier at one time to establish a connection with one cell.
Warning notification providers, which are usually run by local governments, produce the warning notification to PLMN operator when an earthquake or tsunami event occurs. The warning notification is classified into two types depending on the purpose and urgency of the notification. The first type of warning notification is called primary notification that delivers the most important information of the threat that is approaching to users (e.g. the imminent occurrence of Earthquake or Tsunami) and shall be delivered to the users as soon as possible. For example, the primary notification can notify the UE of the disaster type. The second type of warning notification is called secondary notification that delivers additional information, such as instructions on what to do or where to get help.
The warning notification providers publish a primary notification to PLMN and specify the notification area where the warning notification is expected to be distributed when occurrence of a natural disaster is detected. Single or multiple secondary notifications are published following the primary notification.
According to the related specifications, a primary notification message corresponding to the primary notification and a secondary notification message corresponding to the secondary notification are both provided by system information that is seen as broadcast information and transmitted on a BCCH (Broadcast Control Channel). The primary notification message is contained in a SIB10 (System Information Block Type 10), whereas the secondary notification message is contained in a SIB11 or multiple SIB11s.
The secondary notification message is allowed to be segmented, and the segments are transmitted via multiple SIB11s. Transmission cycles through the different segments belonging to a single secondary notification message at subsequent occasions for this SIB.
The abovementioned primary and secondary notification message transmission is applied for both the LTE/UMTS/GERAN UEs in a RRC_CONNECTED mode or a RRC_IDLE mode.
A LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) system is also standardized by the 3GPP as an enhancement of LTE system. The LTE-A system targets faster switching between power states, improves performance at the cell edge, and includes subjects, such as bandwidth extension, coordinated multipoint transmission/reception (COMP), uplink multiple input multiple output (MIMO), etc.
A LTE-A UE in a RRC_CONNECTED mode is capable of using multiple component carriers to establish multiple connections with at least one cell. Thus, how to perform transmission/reception of the primary and secondary notification messages for the LTE-A UE supporting the ETWS system is a topic for discussion.